Burial-casket



' (No Model.)-

W. e. ARMSTRONG. BURIAL GASKET, N0. 335,6'7Z. Patented Feb. 9 1886.

fittest AnNT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM O. ARMSTRONG, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BURlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,672, dated February 9, 1886.

To all whom, it natty concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. ARM- STRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of grave vaults or burial-cases which are made of strong material and provided with inclosed automatic locking devices adapted, when closed, to permanently lock the case, thus rendering it burglar-proof.

The objects of thisinvention are to simplify the construction of devices of this kind, and to provide for sealing or cementing the joint of the device after it is locked, thus rendering it water-proof as well as burglar-proof.

My invention consists in the constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2is apartial transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one end of the case with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the locking devices in detail. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detailed views of the clamping devices referred to hereinafter.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout the several views.

In the said drawings, Arepresents the body of the case or vault, and B the top or cover of the same, each of said parts being constructed of strong sheet metal, preferably boiler-iron, and riveted up in the ordinary manner. Around the inside of the ease or vault, a short distance below the top thereof, I secure an a11- gle-iron, a,which extends entirely around said casing, forminga ledge or flange thereon. The top of the casing A, just above this angleiron, I flange outwardly, forming a channel, I), into which the cover B is adapted to rest. The cover B is also provided with a flange, c,of angle iron secured 011 the inside around the immediate bottom thereof. Between the flanges thus formed I place,when closing the vault, a strip, d, of rubber or other packing, thus form* ing a tight joint between the different parts of the case.

In the upper part of the cover 13, at each end Application filed April 27, 1885.

Serial No. 163,629. (No model.)

thereof, is a supporting-sheet, 0, adapted to support the spring-catches D D,which serve to antomatically lock the vault when closed. These supporting-sheets O are provided at the top and bottom with flanges c and c, respectively, the top flange, 0, being riveted to the flange of the end piece of the cover B, and said end piece afterward riveted to the top piece of the cover, so that the rivets which hold the supporting-sheets O are covered up from the outside. The spring-catches D D are support- ;ed in the lower flange, c of the supportingsheet (hand project downward, and are adapt ed to engage with the angle-iron or flange a in the top of the casing A, at the end thereof, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The spring-catches each consist of an arrowshaped catch composed of a single piece, 6, of flat steel, bent as shown in Fig. 4,with the two ends thereof riveted or otherwise secured to opposite sides of a square bolt or rod, 6. This rod or bolt 0 is screw-threaded at one end,and is adapted to project through suitable holes in the flange c of the supporting-sheet O, and is secured therein by nuts f f, adapted to screw up againgt the opposite sides of said flange 0 The angle-iron or flange a, which extends across the ends of the casing A, is in the same horizontal plane with and forms a continuation of the angle-iron a which extends along the sides of the casing; but the top wing or flange thereof is somewhat wider, and is provided with openings 9 g therein, into which the spring-catches D are adapted to enter. These openings 9 g are preferably punched out, and are provided on two sides with downwardlyprojecting lips h it, formed by pressing a portion of the metal outward on opposite sides of the opening, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be seen now that as the cover B is placed on the lower casing, A, the springcatches will enter the openings 9, and being forced therein will be compressed until the an row-shaped head has passed through said openings,after which thespring-catches will expand and engage with the projecting lips h hon the under side of the openings 9. This construction, it will be seen, formsa very simplethough strong and effective catch or locking device.

In addition to the automatic locking devices above described I provide on the outside of the case or vault a series of clamps, E, adapt ed, when the case is closed, to. draw the parts tightly together against the packing-strip between the flanges a and 0. These clainps may be made in any convenient form.

In Fig. 5 is shown a simple stud, is, secured at the bottom bya metallic clip, 70, attached to the lower part of the caseand adapted to project up through a bifurcated clip, k secured to the upper part or cover, B, said stud being provided with a nut, k by means of which the parts may be drawn together.

In Fig. 6 a clamping-rod is shown, which is made detachable by providing therein at the bottom a slotted opening adapted to slip over a T-headed stud, Z, on the lower casing, said stud being adapted to retain the said rod thereon when the rod is turned to an upright position. 1

In Fig. 7 a camshaped stud, m, is shown at the top of the clamping-rod for drawing the parts together.

After the case is closed the clamps E are tightened, drawing the upper and lower parts of the vault firmly together against the packing d, after which the channel b around the joint is filled with a water-proof cement, thus rendering the vault water and air tight as well as burglar-proof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an automatically-locking grave-vault,

the arrow-head'spring-catches formed of asingle piece of steel'bent as described and having both ends secured to a bolt or bar, said catch being adapted to engage retaining-pieces, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the arrow head spring-catches formed of a single piece of steel, as described, and secured in the top or cover of the vault, of the angle-iron flange secured in the lower part of the vault and provided with openings therein having depending lips, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the metallic case composed of two parts adapted to fit one into theother, so as to form a channel around the joint thereof. of angle-iron flanges above and below said joint,one of said flanges being provided with openings therein having depending lips, an elastic gasket between said flanges, arrow-shaped spring'catches adapted to engage in said openings, clamping devices on the outside of said casing, and a waterproof cement in the channel about said joint, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28d day of April, A. D. 1885.

\VILLIAM O. ARMSTRONG. 

